System and apparatus for distributing fluid



(No Model.)

Patented Apr. 12, 1898. av

LAMP

ATTORNEY ITE- ARTHUR KITSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIGNoE To THE KITSON HYDROCARBON HEATING AND INoANDEsoENT LIGHTING coM- PANY, OF WEST VIRGINIA.

SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING FLUID.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 602,223, dated April 12, 1898.

Application filed November 1, 1897. Serial No. 657,028. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR KITsON, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philade1 phia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful System and Apparatus for Distributing Fluid, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates generally to systems IQ of fluid distribution, and is more specifically designed to provide an improved system for distributing oil under pressure to a series of vapor-burning lamps.

My improved apparatus consists of means I 5 forsupplying oiltoa system oflampsbymeans of constant pressure derived from a head of water or otherwise,in combination with means for relieving the system of piping connecting with said lamps from the contained oil when the supply is shut off, and means for returning said oil to the reservoir at the proper time. The reservoir being usually placed at a much lower level than the lamps, the oil remains standing in the system of service- 2 5 pipes when the supply is shut oft and the lamps are out, increasing the possibility of damage by leakage and interfering with any attempts to disconnect or repair any portion of the said service system. To overcome these disadvantages and produce a system of distribution possessing other features of prac tical importance, I have designed the system and apparatus herein illustrated in the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic View of my apparatus. Fig. 2 is a detail in section of one of the two-way cocks 6 and 23, showing the same open. Fig. 3 is a similar detail in section, showing the said cock closed and the drip connection open.

Throughout the drawings like referencefigures refer to like parts.

1 2 3 are representations of a series of vapor-burning lamps, which may be preferably of the construction illustrated in my pending application, Serial No. 648,353, filed August 16, 1897.

1 2 3 are service-pipes supplying oil to said lamps, respectively. These servicepipes connect to the service-main 4, which has an extension 4:, passing into the oil-reservoir 5 and reaching nearly to the bottom thereof.

6 is a valve controlling said service-main 4, which is preferably of the familiar form of drip-valve,which when shut off will allow the drip to pass out through the drip-pipe 7 into the drip-can 8.

10 is a connection from the lower portion of the drip-can to the oil-reservoir 5, controlled by the valve 11. 12 is a similar connection from the upper portion of the drip-can to the upper portion of the oil-reservoir and is controlled by the valve 13. a

14: is ascreW-capped opening through which 6 5. the reservoir 5 may be charged with oil.

15 is a connection extending from the upper portion of the reservoir 5 to the pressuretank 17 and controlled by the valve 16.

18 is a safety-valve located in the conneetion 15 and preferably at the opening thereof, as shown, which, being controlled by the float 19 within the pressure-tank, will close and prevent the passage of any of the water in the pressure-tank over into the oil-reservoir when the water reaches the, float 20 is a connection through which'the pressure-tank may be charged with compressed air, if desired.

21 is a connection from the pressure-tank, 8o 5 and preferably from the lower portion thereof, to any source of constant water-pressure I 22, such as the water-pipes in the building to be lighted. This connection is controlled by any suitable valve 23.

24 represents the water-level in the pres sure-tank 17.

9 is avalve-controlled blow-off from the upper portion of the drip-can 8.

The operation of my invention is as fol-9o lows: Oil being charged into the reservoir 5 it is subjected to the necessary pressure by charging compressed air into the pressuretank 17 through the connection 20 or, if the pressure-tank is large enough in proportion to the oil-reservoir, by allowing the water to enter the pressure-tank through the connection 21 and compress the air contained therein to the number of pounds per square inch of the pressure in the Water-pipe 22. It is desirable in either case that the capacity of the oil-reservoir 5 shall be less than the space occupied by compressed air in the pressuretank 17. In case the water is allowed to rise above the permissible water-line in the pressure-tank the float 19 will close the pressurevalve 18 and any flow of water into the oilreservoir will be prevented. The pressure on the surface of the oil forces it up through the service system in the well-known manner and supplies the lamps.

\Vhen the lamps are all shut off, the pressure should be taken off the service system by turning the valve 6. The valves 11 and 13 being closed and the blow-off 9 being open, the oil drip in the service system of pipes will flow by gravity down into the drip-can 8.

Whenever the oil reservoir is being recharged, the oil collected in the drip-can 8 can be fed back into the reservoir by opening the valve 11.

In case any surplus of oil has accumulated in the drip-can before the oil-reservoir is empty a portion of the same can be transferred by closing the blow-off 9 and opening both valves 11 and 13. The oil in the dripcan will then flow into the reservoir until the fluid-level in the two vessels is the same.

Various changes could be made in the details of my invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, provided the relative arrangement of parts illustrated in the drawings and the principle of operation described in the specification are preserved.

It is evident that the system and apparatus described gives a constant air-pressure to the oil in the reservoir equal to the pressure in the water-pipe 22. Also, if the pressuretank is made large enough, as explained, all necessity of compressing the air by hand or other external means is removed. The waste of oil from the drip-cock is prevented, and at the same time the system of service-pipes is completely emptied whenever the oil is shut off.

The pressure of the water column might be applied directly to the oil without the intervening air-cushion with a slight evident rearrangement of the apparatus. Means other than those specified might be employed for subjecting the oil accumulated in the dripcan to the necessary pressure for forcing it back into the reservoir.

Having therefore described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is

1. In a system of fluid distribution, the combination of the service-pipes, a reservoir containing fluid under pressure, a drip-can having a valve-controlled connection to said reservoir, a drip-pipe which leads from the service system to the drip-can, and the valve or valves controlling said service system and drip-pipe, substantially as described.

2. In a system of fluid distribution the combination of the service-pipes, a reservoir containing fluid under pressure, a drip-can and connections from the reservoir thereto, means for subjecting the contents of the drip-can to pressure,a drip-pipe which leads from the service system to the drip-can, and the valve or valves controlling said service system and drip-pipe, substantially as described.

3. In a system of fluid distribution, the combination of the service-pipes, the reservoir containing fluid under pressure, the drip-can on the same level as the reservoir, the drippipe which leads from the service system to the drip-can, the valve or valves controlling said service system and drip-pipe, and the valve-controlled connection between the lower portion of the drip-can and the reservoir, substantially as described.

4. In a system of fluid distribution, the combination of the service-pipes, the reservoir containing fluid under pressure, the drip-can on the same level as the reservoir, the drippipe which leads from the service system to the drip-can, the valve or valves controlling said service system and drip-pipe, and the valve-controlled connection between the lower portion of the drip-can and the reservoir, together with a connection by which the dripcan may be charged with compressed air, substantially as described.

5. In asystem of fluid distribution, the combination of the service-pipes, the reservoir containing fluid under pressure, the drip-can on the same level as the reservoir, the drippipe which leads from the service system to the drip-can, the valve or valves controlling said service system and drip-pipe, and the valve-controlled connection between the lower portion of the drip-can and the reservoir, together with a valve controlled connection from the upper portion of the reservoir to the upper portion of the drip-can, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR KITSON.

\Vitnesses:

LILIAN FOSTER, A. PARKER SMITH. 

